Windows environment variables: what is it, and what are they used for?

Most users of moderncomputer systems has no idea that there are so-called environment variables in Windows. What it is, many do not understand, although they face it almost every day. Let's try to fill this gap, especially since there is nothing difficult to define this term.

What are the Windows environment variables?

To fully realize that therepresents this tool of the system, it is necessary to designate the most important thing. In simple terms, it is a means of storing temporary files that can appear in the system when executing some programs or surfing the Internet.

But if we look deeper, we can say that inIn this case, the user deals not so much with the folders in which temporary objects are stored, but with the path to the directories in which such data is stored.

It is assumed that the default environment variablesare configured in such a way that they do not need to specify an absolute path, since directories are hidden. Typically, for temporary files and folders, the TMP and TEMP directories are used. It is they who act as variable environments.

Many, for sure, know that the same folder TEMPis available both in the main system directory and in the local user data settings (Local Settings directory). As mentioned above, these objects are hidden, and in order to see them in the "Explorer" or in any other file manager, you should include the display of such objects in the view menu.

Using the basic operator

However, this is not necessary at all, since in any Windows system there is a special tool that allows you to search or navigate to hidden folders.

This is the operator denoted by the percent sign (%). Thus, to find the desired object, you just need to mark it with this symbol at the beginning and at the end of the query in the search query. For example, for the TEMP directory, the search condition looks like% TEMP%. In this case, if the search is performed on all local disks or in disk partitions, the results will show all the objects corresponding to the entered name.

Environment variables of the 7th version of Windows and above: setting parameters

Now a few words about the settings. The variables of the Windows 10 environment or systems of lower rank can be configured if you use the right-click context menu on the computer icon with the properties selected.

After that, the transition toadditional parameters. In the bottom window there is a special button with the same name ("Environment variables"), when clicked on, the user enters the settings section. In principle, here you can not change anything without the need.

Changes or additional configuration canIt is required only if some specific software is installed, such as the JAVA SDK package, when the system can not automatically set the required parameters.

Here you have to specify the path to the temporary storage used by the package, exclusively in manual mode.

Possible problems and methods for their elimination

Unfortunately, if the environment variables are set upincorrect or temporary folders contain too many objects, there may be software problems, for example, the inability to install OS updates.

What is most sad, the system itself does not possesstool for automatic cleaning of temporary directories. Therefore, in the best case, you should use optimizer programs. If those are not installed on your computer, you will have to manually clean the folders.

In a sense, the use of optimizerslooks more justified, because in passing they clean the cache of the web browser and cache of recently used applications. And some can even unload system processes from memory, which is also important.

And in most cases only after this willpossible search and installation of system updates in automatic mode. If the folders are full, even a manual search with attempts to integrate updates into the system later will lead to nothing.

Conclusion

As we see, the concept of variable environments is not so muchcomplex, as many might have thought at first. The most important thing is to clearly understand the purpose of the temporary files directories, how to access them or even just find them on the computer. If there is a problem with manual configuration of specialized parameters, in general, and there is nothing complicated, because you just have to specify the correct path, and you can do this using the directory overview button.

Well, it goes without saying that the systemIt is necessary to keep it clean and tidy, periodically cleaning up the accumulating computer garbage. As you already know, in order not to deal with this manually, it's best to use special optimizer utilities. Thus, you can not only clean the system, but even increase its performance.